Best laid plans
by MajesticWoodlandNelf
Summary: WDZ: A moment ago, senora, you risked your life saving mine. What if Raquel Toledano hadn't been able to prevent Zorro from being injured when one of The Eagle's men fired at him in the winery.


**AN: Just a little one-shot I thought up while re watching 'Zorro lights a fuse.' Reviews are welcome.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Zorro.**

"It's such a shame, senora, you would have made a very attractive widow."

Raquel Toledano closed her eyes as the pistol was leveled at her heart. Suddenly a loud crash caused her to open them again.

"You're brave men, senores. It only takes four of you to handle one woman." Zorro! Raquel had never been more happy to see anyone in her life.

The man who held the pistol turned and fired at Zorro, who ducked out of the way. Raquel wasted no time in running for the door but before she could reach it, she was grabbed from behind.

"Quick get the rifles," someone ordered as she was dragged back.

She could feel fingers digging into her flesh, bruising her delicate skin but the pain didn't seem to register with her as she watched Senor Quintana and the others stalk Zorro like a predator after it's prey.

She knew Zorro to be a very clever and cunning man, whoever he happened to be, but that did not mean he would be able to hold his own against four armed men. She did not even know if he carried his sword.

They weren't offering him very many chances to escape as they made their way up the only stairwell.

"There he is," Senor Quintana called. She couldn't see what was happening behind the barrels but suddenly Zorro grabbed a rope and swung onto one of the wine casks on the other side of the room. Raquel flinched as a shot went off and the bullet buried itself into a beam by Zorro's head.

Zorro swung on the rope again, this time kicking Senor Quintana who rolled down the stairs. His momentum faltered and he was left hanging in open view. Raquel's heart leapt into he throat as she watched one of them men level his rifle at the masked bandit.

She couldn't let them kill Zorro, he was her only chance at making it out of here alive. Without him she would surely die herself. Struggling against her capture she lashed out with her foot, connecting heavily with the man's back, making his shot go wide.

She didn't notice the way Zorro had flinched and lost his grip on the rope, falling down hard onto the wooden floor.

Raquel was yanked around like a rag doll. The man she had kicked was on his feet again, raising his gun in front of her, ready to bring it down hard on her head. But the blow never came as Zorro appeared out of nowhere, hitting the man until he fell into a heap before wrestling with her capture.

"Hurry we can make it to the storage room," she told him. The men were hot on their heels but they managed to make it in time.

Zorro quickly latched the door before slumping against it. It was only then that Raquel noticed the blood.

"You're hurt," she exclaimed.

"It is only a graze," he assured her. "A moment ago, senora, out there, you risked your life saving mine, for that gracias." It would appear she didn't do enough.

"They planned to kill me anyhow but you, why didn't you escape when I gave you the chance?" She didn't know why she argued with him, perhaps it was because she already had so much blood on her hands and now it would seem that his would be added as well.

"I've made such a mess of my life, I've ruined so many things," She wished she could go back to before she met the eagle and change the events that lead up to this moment but it was impossible. She had to live with the choices she made and now it would seem she would die because of them.

"I don't deserve to live."

"Maybe the senora is right," Zorro said, managing a smile. "But I hate to see a Spanish lady..." A thump sounded from the door, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Raquel's blood seemed to freeze in her veins as she realized they were trying to break down the door. Her eyes quickly darted around the room, searching for a way to escape. But she was only greeted with the sight of barrels and hard stone walls. "They'll be coming through that door in a minute," Zorro said.

As she did a moment ago, Zorro looked around the room but Raquel got the feeling he wasn't looking for a window or hidden door, her suspicions were confirmed when his eyes landed on the kegs of stolen gun powder.

He picked one up, grunting in the process, but from pain or exertion she did not know before running a trail of gunpowder along the floor. Raquel's eyes widened at the sight and for a moment she wondered if he was as truly loco as the legends say he was. Surely he wouldn't?

"Alright," he called through the door. "I will give you one minute to get outside the building, senores, or I will blow it up."

"Well how could you?" Senor Quintana called back. "It would blow you up too."

"What's the difference, you'll kill us as soon as you chop down the door," Zorro pulled the candle from a nearby lantern. "And as long as we have to go, you will go with us." He held the flame to the powder and it ignited.

Madre de Dios, he did it. Raquel covered her mouth with her hand. Her only hope of survival rested in the hands of a mad man. With shaking hands she crossed herself. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

"Just look through the crack in the door." Raquel watched as her life ticked away seconds by seconds as the flame grew closer to the open barrel.

"You have ten seconds to live, senores." Must he do that, Raquel already felt if her heart would burst and that wasn't helping.

"Eight seconds, seven seconds..." He continued to count down as Raquel's eyes remained glued to the fire, almost if she was willing it to cease it movement.

Zorro moved from her side to peer through the door before jumping to his feet again.

"They've gone," he said, smothering the fire with his foot. Raquel felt as if her knees were made of jelly and she reached out to steady herself before she fell over.

"Suppose they had not run, would you still have let it blow up?"

"But senora, I knew they would run." She was glad he was so confidant on that because for a moment she wasn't so sure.

He grabbed her hand and lead her outside but not before she saw the trail of blood droplets he left in his wake. Sergeant Garcia's boisterous voice could be heard even through the thick walls of the winery. How did he know they were here? At her questioning glance, Zorro simply smiled.

They stepped through the doors of the winery and were immediately spotted by Corporal Reyes.

"In here, sergeant," Zorro said, pointing behind them. "You will find the missing gunpowder."

"Gunpowder?" Garcia said smiling. His brows furrowed. "But what is the senora doing here?" Raquel raised her chin. She would not fight or run. Whatever was to happen to her she would accept it with dignity; it was far better than she deserved.

"She was brought here at gun point," Zorro said, causing Raquel's head to whip around towards him. Why would he lie for her? "All she wants to do now is to rejoin her husband and catch the first boat back to Spain." Raquel sighed in relief, giving Zorro a quick squeeze with her hand as a thank you. Zorro saluted her.

"Adios, senora."

While the sergeant and his lancers were busy with the prisoners, Zorro made his escape, jumping onto the back of his great, black stallion. Only Raquel noticed him slump in the saddle and grab hard at the reins to keep from falling.

"Are you alright, senora?" Garcia asked her. Raquel kept her eyes on the retreating black figure on the horizon.

"Si, sergeant, I'm alright." Zorro reared his horse, giving one of his trademark salutes. Raquel would never forget him as long as she lived.

* * *

As soon as Tornado's feet left the ground, Zorro knew this was a bad idea. The wound just above his hip, screamed in protest and he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out.

He had told Senora Toledano it was no more than a scratch but he knew that wasn't true. He could still feel the bullet beneath his skin, grating against bone.

Zorro groaned when Tornado's hooves touched the ground once again, jarring his wound. For a second the world around him tilted, making his head spin. He had to get back to the secret cave and fast.

"Go to Bernardo," he said, leaning against Tornado and holding tightly to horse's mane. Tornado's smooth gait quickly tore across the open desert as Zorro's vision blurred.

Although speed was necessary, it didn't make for a very pleasant ride and he was loosing blood far too quickly. Zorro let Tornado take the lead as he was far too focused on trying not to fall off.

After what seemed to be an eternity but could have only have been a few minutes, they made it through the vines that concealed the cave.

Bernardo didn't seem to be anywhere in sight and Zorro wondered if he had yet returned from fetching the lancers. Deciding he could not wait for him, Zorro attempted to dismount on his own.

This was a bad idea. He attempted to swing his leg over Tornado but the sudden movement sent his vision swirling and he lost his grip on the reins slipping from the saddle and landing hard on his injured leg.

Zorro couldn't help the gut wrenching cry that tore from his throat, nor the darkness that shrouded his senses.

* * *

Bernardo stepped past the moving panel in the wall that lead to the secret room. He had been gone far longer than expected but it could hardly be helped.

He had delivered Zorro's message to Sergeant Garcia, without being seen of course, he thought with a sly smile. But in the interest of speed he had left behind the carriage and taken his horse, a wise decision, until you factored in the unseen rabbit hole that nearly broke his poor mare's leg.

Thankfully they weren't too far from the de la Vega hacienda but it did force him to have to walk the rest of the distance to avoid further injury to the horse.

He would have suspected Zorro to have returned by now but the lack of a certain young don in his room dispelled that notion.

Determined to wait for his friend, Bernardo made his way down the tunnel to the secret cave. Before he had even made it halfway he heard the welcome sound of hoof beats but the scream that followed and echoed off the stone walls would haunt him for days.

With his heart in his throat, Bernardo rushed the rest of the way down, nearly tripping over his own feet. Zorro lay face down in a heap on the dirt floor, un-moving. Tornado gently nuzzled his master's shoulder with his snout, until Bernardo lead him away.

Zorro was just beginning to stir by the time Bernardo knelt down beside him. He way entirely too pale for Bernardo's liking, who had begun to run his hands over Zorro's body searching for the wound.

"I can save you the trouble," Zorro whispered. "My left side, by my hip." Bernardo carefully rolled him over, receiving a grunt of protest from his injured friend.

"You'll have to dig the bullet out, my friend." Bernardo's eyes went wide and he launched into a flurry of signs, demanding to know what happened.

"Later," Zorro said, trying to get to his feet. "For now we must hurry before my father gets home."

Don Alejandro was off at his weekly card game with a few of the other dons and was due to return home shortly. It would not do well to have him walk in on him digging a bullet out of his son's hip , a son, who by all outward appearances was a pacifist and had no business being anywhere near a gun.

Bernardo nodded and let Diego lean on him for the duration of the trip up to the young don's bedroom. Bernardo helped him onto the bed before rushing off to collect the supplies he would need. When he returned, Diego was already stripped from the waist up, the mask and bandanna were thrown in a pile with his shirt.

Bernardo winced when he saw the angry, red wound that still seemed to be weeping blood.

"It looks worse than it is," Diego assured him. Still Bernardo knew of the young don's stubbornness and tendency to down play his injuries. Bernardo handed him a foul smelling, sludge like concoction which Diego eyed dubiously.

Bernardo placed his hands on his hips, but didn't really fault him for his reaction, he knew that in his place he wouldn't want to drink it either but it would dull the pain and make it easier for Bernardo to remove the bullet without alerting the whole house of the injury.

Under the mozo's piercing stare, Diego sighed. He really did hate this stuff and no matter how many times Bernardo forced it down him he never managed to get used to the taste. Plugging his nose with one hand he poured the concoction down his throat with the other.

He breathed heavily through his nose, trying not to bring it back up again as Bernardo started to clean around the wound. Soon enough though the drug started to take effect and Diego was greeted with a tingling numbness that spread through his body, though not enough for him to be completely oblivious to the bullet's removal.

Diego bite down hard on his lip to keep from crying out. He could taste a bitter copper taste in his mouth. Great, he thought, just one more injury he'd have to explain.

Bernardo quickly finished his ministrations and wrapped Diego's torso in a large bandage.

"Gracias, my friend," Diego said, settling down in the bed. Before long you could hear soft snores. Bernardo removed his boots and tucked the blanket around him, taking care to cover the bandages.

He had just begun cleaning up the bloody clothing when he heard footsteps outside the room, followed by Diego's name being shouted by his father. Bernardo looked down at the pile in his hands and then back at the door, the same door that, in his haste to meet Zorro in the cave, he had forgotten to lock.

He juggled the contraband items in his arms while he hurried into the secret room, hoping that he hadn't dropped anything. The panel slid closed at the same time that the door opened.

Bernardo watched with baited breath as Don Alejandro approached the bed. He hoped Diego's paleness wasn't too noticeable in the dim candle light. But Don Alejandro merely sighed and shook his head at his son's sleeping form, before turning and leaving the room. Whatever news he had been about to share, forgotten until a later time.

Bernardo let out a breath had didn't notice he had been holding and slid down to the floor. Never was there a dull moment.

* * *

Senora Toledano's belongings had all been packed and safely stored atop the roof of the commendante's carriage by the time Diego and Don Alejandro arrived in the pueblo.

Diego's muscles still ached from the night before and Bernardo cautioned him about putting weight on his left leg, not that he could manage much anyways but he tried hard to hide it.

He was grateful his father agreed to take the carriage instead of riding into town on horse back. Diego knew he would never be able to pull himself into the saddle much less get down from it.

If he was being honest, he would have much preferred to stay home all together but his father wouldn't hear of it. Alejandro had been so excited to tell Diego the news about the recovered gunpowder that Diego had barely sat down to the breakfast table before he launched into the tale.

Diego had been surprised to hear nothing about Zorro's injury. Apparently the senora had decided to leave that out if her report to the sergeant.

When he had finished, Alejandro had suggested the two of them ride into the pueblo to personally bid Senora Toledano farewell. Diego's wound throbbed at the mere mention of a horse ride and he tried to decline, stating he was busy with a new composition that needed his full attention.

He cringed at the memory of his father's beet red face and the words he had hurled at him. Needless to say he relented.

Senora Toledano stepped out of the cuartel, dressed in the same travel outfit that she wore when Diego had first met her all those months ago. When she spotted them, she smiled.

"Why, Don Diego, Don Alejandro, it's so nice to see you."

"We've come to wish you well on your travel's, senora." Alejandro said.

"That's very kind of you, senores, gracias."

"I heard you had a little trouble last night, senora," Diego added. "I hope it was nothing too serious." Raquel smiled.

"Not at all, Don Diego. At least nothing Zorro could not handle."

"Oh?" Diego said. "Don't tell me that rascal was there too."

"Si," said Raquel, still smiling. "I'm starting to see why he is hailed as the champion of the people." Diego fought hard not to blush at her obvious admiration.

"Your pardon, senora," Sergeant Garcia said, coming to stand beside them. "But we are ready to go."

"Thank you sergeant. I will be along shortly." She turned back to the dons. "Thank you again, senores for coming to see me off."

"It was our pleasure, senora," Don Alejandro said. "Please give our regards to your husband."

"Si, senor, I will." Raquel started to climb into the carriage but he dress snagged on the step. Diego quickly rushed forward to steady her. A little too quickly as he once again jarred his wound.

He was able to bite back a groan but was not able to keep a wince from marring his features. Unfortunately, Raquel noticed his change in demeanor.

"Are you hurt, Don Diego?" she asked.

"Nothing I can't handle," he answered slyly.

"Adios, senora." Diego placed a kiss on the back of her hand before stepping back and closing the door.

Raquel's brows furrowed for a second as the carriage started to pull away before he eyes widened in shock. She leaned out the side window and Diego gave her a very Zorro like salute.

As the carriage disappeared from sight, Sergeant Garcia waddled over towards them.

"I hear congratulations are in order, sergeant." Diego said, clasping his friend on the back. "Perhaps you would like to join us in the tavern?"

"Si, Don Diego, gracias." Garcia smiled

"And maybe you could tell us exactly what happened last night." Garcia's smile got even wider, if that was possible.

"Oh, Don Diego you would not believe it. Last night I almost caught that rascal of a Zorro."


End file.
